


Of Milk and Dark Bars

by BTD



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Alcohol, F/F, bad pearl
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-27
Updated: 2017-03-27
Packaged: 2018-10-11 13:58:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,535
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10466643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BTD/pseuds/BTD
Summary: Pearl likes to drink milk are bars at 3 am.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This is a submission for Pearlmethyst week Day 1 - first kiss
> 
> Edit: I just realized I pasted the story twice, so that's been fixed.

“Who drinks milk at a Bar?” came a quiet voice from next to where Pearl had been sitting for the last two hours. Pearl didn’t look up from her drink or even give a good side glance to the other person as she analyzed the question. There was a laugh to it, something akin to a scoffing laugh, but the underlying seriousness is what made her finally think to give something kind of reply.  With a heavy Sigh, she placed the glass in her hand down before looking to the stranger finally.

 

“Someone who doesn’t need to follow the social normalities of other humans wherever they go.” Before she took back to keeping her eyes straight ahead pearl glanced the other person up and down a few times. The first thing she noticed was that the other hadn't made eye contact with her. Which in itself seemed something of a rude thing to do as she was obviously addressing her. After that it was her hair, altho tied back into a slightly messy ponytail it was very….large?  _ I guess that's a good way to put it.  _

 

It wasn’t until the other woman looked up at her finally that she noticed the faint scarring under her left eye. Pearl cocked her head just slightly and narrowed her eyes a bit as she took a closer look at her in the dimly lit bar.  Her skin was a light mocha color is Pearl was asked, and it contrasted nicely with the lightness of her, almost a silvery purple color.  It wasn’t Until The other cocked her head a little more than Pearl had and narrowed her eyes almost in a mocking wait at her, that she realized she’d been staring. 

 

“Yo, is there something on my face?” She nearly seemed to snap at the blonde. Pearl instinctively shot her gaze back down at her glass before uttering a quiet “No.” to the other. A slight grunt came from beside her as the other woman stood, pearl thought she might be walking off for a moment before she realized she was actually coming towards her. Her body stiffened as the latina [or so she assumed by the general mannerisms and looks.] Took the stool next to her now. 

 

_ Just focus on your drink, no more fights, they’ve already banned you at two other bars.  _

 

“Why come to a bar at all then?” The other asked after a few fleeting moments of the blonde’s tension growing harsher as she felt the fight or flight instincts kick in, but instantly she relaxed a bit. This woman didn't want to start anything, or at least it didn't feel like she did. The tone of her voice tho somewhat stern, seemed tired and slightly deflated. Pearl wondered about that for a moment but carried on.

 

“Better than going home.” The comment seemed innocent enough to the blonde as a response, but it wasn’t until the other girl looked up at her with something of slight concern crossing her face that she realized, that probably sounded a lot worse than what she really meant. But just as the glance appeared it dissipated into something of a sympathetic smirk. 

 

“I feel ya there, but sounds like you could use something a lot harder than that.” The comment was a bit nonchalant but seemed harmless as the other pointed to the half full glass of milk in pearl’s hand. Pearl watched as she turned to wave the bartender over to them. Almost immediately pearl turned her gaze to the bar, her focus on the wood grain slipping in and out. 

_ Well, this isn't the most awkward situation that could have happened I suppose. _

 

“Here, try this.” Pearl snapped out of her thoughts as a shot glass was slide in front of her by the other woman. Pearl Glanced at it for a moment then looked to the other wish a wry look. “I don’t really--” she was cut off by the other holding her hand up with the slightest hint of a smirk on her face. 

 

“I figured, but just try it. One drink won’t kill you.” and true as that statement was, Pearl grimaced a bit but considered her options anyway, She could take the offered drink and just be done with it, it was a nice enough thing to do anyway. She could refuse the drink politely, or as the nagging annoyance and pent up hostilities in the back of her mind wanted her to do, she could tell her to go fuck off. Pushing that nagging feeling away in lieu of not be banned from the only other bar in the town, she decided the first option was best. 

 

Pearl Settled the shot between her fingers and thumb softly as the other watched with what seemed to be amused interest. Lifting the shot glass up to her lips she glanced at the latina out of the cover of her eyes and tipped the shot back. The warmth of the liquid was the first thing she felt, then the taste, then the burn as it hit the back of her throat. With a harsh grimace, a light shutter, a slight cough, and a sleeve whipped across her mouth she popped the shot glass back onto the counter. 

 

“Guhh… “ was the only noise that escaped pearls mouth as she stared harshly down at the shot glass as if it had offended her mother or kicked a puppy. The sound of a snort, followed by a failed attempted to stifle a set of giggles. Pearl snapped her gaze back to the short woman and grimaced more. 

 

“Oh  _ god, _ you should see your face!” the latina seemed to pause for a moment to catch her breath for a moment before she ran a hand through her bangs and rubbed at her eyes a bit. “It’s almost like you’ve never touched liquor before.” She said turning to do what appeared to the blonde as gauging her reaction. It took a moment for Pearl to regain her compose herself before she spoke again. 

 

“Well..there is a first time for everything.” She said with a slight scoff turned to a laugh. She didn’t turn back to the other until she realized it was almost as if the room had gone completely quiet, and all eyes were on her. When she did look The latina was looking her up and down with a look of slight confusion but a hint of something else seemed to linger there. 

 

Pearl studied her for a moment and that's when she saw the realization take over the confusion and the realization seemed to hit the other girl much harder than the blonde expected, when the other broke her gaze away to stare at the counter in front of them, Pearl watched her brows furrow as if concerned, and lost in thought. “H-hey..it’s fine.” pearl exclaimed trying to lighten the sudden awkward tension. 

 

The blonde turned her attention back to the milk in front of her. She tossed the remaining back and set the glass down and signaled for another. That's when she heard an almost wry sounding word come from the other woman's mouth. It was almost as if she wasn’t meant to hear it, a whisper of a secret. “Amethyst.”

 

“Hm? What was that?” Pearl asked turning her head to stare at the other in slight bewilderment at the turn of the atmosphere. 

 

“My name. It’s Amethyst.”  She said looking up at pearl, the look in this woman's eyes now looked like she was looking for something in the blonde's eyes, recognition maybe? No.. she didn't know her, she’d never recalled seeing someone quite as different as the woman before. So with a wry smile and offering her hand out to the other in greeting she Spoke herself. “Pearl.”

 

There was a moment of hesitation from Amethyst, and what pearl had thought might have been a look of hurt somewhere in her eyes before she took her hand shaking it softly. After breaking the stiff and all too quick handshake broke off they returned to their own drinks; The bartender having slid her next glass of milk in front of her. 

 

For some reason, things felt very awkward to Pearl, like something was happening that she didn't really understand, and honestly she wasn't sure she wanted to know what that something was. After taking a few more sips of her drink she considered trying to strike back up some kind of conversation with Amethyst to alleviate the situation, but the other Spoke before she had gotten the chance, Amethyst voice cut through the tension.

 

“So, Why’s this better than going home.” She asked, and pearl couldn't help but notice the sound of slight defeat etching its way back into her voice and words. She cocked and eyebrow for a moment before Pearl thought about the actual question she was being asked. It wasn’t truly a hard question for her to answer, but she was talking to a stranger here, and she wasn’t sure if it would have been the best idea to disclose any information let alone any kind of details. So she opted for an attempt at a way out of the question. 

 

“It’s… complicated.” She finally answered, altho hesitant to even acknowledge the question. She could feel the latina’s eye on her again, almost as if she was analyzing her answer, and trying to poke holes in it, but if she was she didn't say anything or had given up, as soon she returned to drink taking it all down in one gulp.

 

“Why do you ask?” Pearl finally spoke up as the bartender slid amethyst another drink. She watched as the other seemed to consider this for a moment and then took a small sip of her drink. 

 

“Well, You’re in a bar. Drinking milk. At three in the morning” She answered refusing to look back at the blonde. She honestly had a point, and it made something in pearl want to cave, as the logic in this whole situation seemed to be missing at this point anyway. Before she got a chance to say anything more however she felt a slight vibration against her hip. With a sigh, she set her now empty glass down and stood. 

 

“Please excuse me for a moment Amethyst. “ She offered with the most polite tone she could muster through the slight annoyance as she felt the light vibration once more. She stepped away from the counter pulling the buzzing phone from her pocket. Lifting it to her ear she pointed to it as she made brief eye contact with the other as she left the bar headed towards the restrooms. She barely caught a glimpse of her nodding before she turned and finally clicked the phone on. 

 

“It’s Late, What is it you need,” she asked pushing the bathroom door open. She carefully looked around almost ignoring the voice on the other end of the line as pushed each stall door open to find them all empty. She gave a light sigh and then turned her attention back to the now more annoying voice going on in her ear. 

 

“Well, I don't see how that's any of  _ your _ concern.” She warned as she leaned her back against the cool wall of the [impeccably] clean restroom wall. She crossed an arm over her body as her eyes closed and her eyebrows came to narrow themselves through pure annoyance and the conversation seeming to carry on forever. 

 

“Yes, well I will be there tomorrow you don't need to worry about that.” she was about ready to through the floor to the ground when the other line finally went quiet. She flicked the phone into sleep mode and slipped it back into her jeans pocket. With a heavy sigh, she pushed herself off the wall of the bathroom and turned to one of the sinks pushing the handle up to run cool water over her hands. 

 

She pushed the sleeves of her jacket up to her elbows and stuck her hands under the water for a moment just enjoying the feelings. She let the water pull in her palms for a moment before leaning forward and running the cool water over her face. She did this a few more times letting her hands slick gently over her hair to push it back and let her bangs fall back into place slightly moist now. 

 

After a moment she turned the water off and just leaned her palms on the edges of the sink. She stared at the water sinking into the drain and then leaned back focusing her gaze to the mirror in front of her. She examined her own face for a moment, Baggy eyes, slightly pale, hair’s a mess, oh yeah she was a looker, not to mention the good size scar that ran down the center of her forehead. 

 

She grabbed a paper towel from the dispenser and wiped her face and hands dry. Maybe she would get lucky and amethyst would have left already. Pearl wasn't sure if she would be able to recover the conversation after the interruption if face the other woman after remembering what a real mess she was. 

 

Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on whose perspective you were looking at it from, she seen her still seated at the bar as she came out of the restroom. She watched her for a moment, the shorter girl seemed to be talking to the bartender as if she had known them quite well. This surprised Pearl a little bit as the entire time the had interacted with the bartender she hadn't given off any indication that she knew them. 

Pearl shrugged to herself deciding that she must have just missed it before being lost in her own thoughts. Before she got a chance to return to her seat she saw the bartender place a hand on Amethyst shoulder in a comforting way, and the situation gave off an overly sad aura. It was so strong it seemed to pulse through Pearl's eyes almost as if she could see the aura of sadness spread off them. The moment broke the second Amethyst looked up and seen Pearl standing only half way across the room. The bartender withdrew her hand and returned to her duties and Amethyst shook off the remaining sadness as she let a smile play at her Lips as pearl finally took her seat again. 

 

“Sorry about that,” pearl apologized for having to leave for a moment, then she just thought to ask instead of letting it bug her. “So do you know her?” she asked and the other gave her a look akin to disbelief, that quickly turned to something else, something Pearl wasn’t sure she knew.  

 

“Ehh..Well yeah. She's my sister--” Amethyst started but paused gauging Pearl’s reaction, which didn't actually exist, she just held a slightly blanket stare in return. “Well, sorta, we might as well be sisters, she's my best friend.” Pearl nodded a moment then smiled.

 

“It must be nice, having someone close like that.” the statement came out far more bitter the pearl had intended it to sound and she wasn't really sure why. She shook her head for a moment before she looked back at the latina beside her. Amethyst met her gaze with a look of sadness in her eyes, something about those eyes made pearl shrink back in her seat for a moment. 

 

“I’m sorry, That sounds really rough actually.” she paused again for a moment seeming to consider continuing, and sure enough she carried on, “It must suck not having anyone to live with?” the accusation took Pearl aback a bit, not because it was correct, not because it was slightly creepy that this woman seemed to know this without pearl having stated as much or anything that would have given it away. No. What surprised her was the absolute look of sadness that took over the other's face, but as she realized what she had really said hit her, she looked somewhere between devastated and in complete shock. 

 

“I-..I mean I assume.” Amethyst quickly recovered quickly, she instantly turned her attention back to the counter. Pearl looked her up and down for a moment, before shaking her head. “Well, you aren't wrong,” she told her finally if for no other reason than to relax the sudden tension that seemed to surround the whole situation. 

 

Pearl let out a soft quiet sigh and stood from the bar finally. Leaving a  couple of twenty dollar bills under her empty glass. She slowly adjusted the collar of her jacket and zipped it shut. She turned to address Amethyst for a moment after having her hands into her pockets. “Well, it was nice to have met you,” she paused a moment as the other turned to her again, her eyes settling on Pearl in an almost comforting way. 

 

“Good night Amethyst.” Pearl finally said before making her way to the door. She hadn't waited to hear anything from the other woman before exiting the building the door quietly clicking shut behind her. As the cold night air hit her face she clenched her teeth a bit before shifting her hands through her pockets to pull her keys out.  

 

It wasn't until she reached the car that she heard the footsteps that rounded the corner of the bar after her. She turned to see who it was that had been coming out there at this hour as her care was the only thing in the lot at this time. She spotted the slivers of silvery hair under a flickering light overhead and realized Amethyst had been the one to Follow her. 

 

Pearl stood there, keys poised in her her right hand, and a dumbfounded look on her face as the shorter woman stopped in front of her and stood silent for what seemed like the longest moment. She took this moment examine Amethyst under the full yet slightly eerie light of the lamp post overhead. She was wearing a loose-fitting gray tank top, a pair of slightly baggy jeans that looked like they had seen better days and better days, and a pair of black combat boots. Along her left arm were a lot of faded scars, they looked like over time they might go completely unnoticed even to the most observant eye. That except for one, one that ran the length of her Bicep. Pearl wondered for a moment how she had gotten such a scare, but then she realized it had looked like the other woman wanted to say something to her this whole time.

 

_ And of course, Pearl was just standing there with a stupid look on her face staring her up and down. _

 

Amethyst cleared her throat after a moment and stared up and Pearl with her eyes, which the blonde could now see were actually a deep brown, almost red, they were gorgeous. Then she heard her speak, she almost sounded scared she thought. “I’m sorry, I just couldn’t.” She said finally, pearl didn't understand and she watched as Amethyst shifted from one foot to the other. And crossed one arm over her stomach.

 

“I’m sorry, I don’t understand.” Pearl finally started, her tone was soft yet confused, her expression only grew more confused as she watched the woman before her shift her weight once again as if contemplating something more. “I just gotta know for sure.” The short of them whispered finally,  it was so low pearl almost hadn't heard her speak it, yet she still wasn’t sure what she meant. 

 

“I’m s--” pearl was going to repeat what she’d already said but was cut off the moment Amethyst placed a soft hand on the back of the blonde’s neck and pulled hers down just enough for her to press her lips softly against Pearl’s for a moment. 

 

At first, pearl almost jerked herself away but realized the grip on her neck made is almost impossible without hurting herself. But then she felt something, something distant, a pain, familiar, sad even. She almost felt like this was the right thing like this should have been what happened. Like this was just right. What she didn't understand was why. 

 

Before she had time to contemplate the reasoning any further, however, Amethyst released her soft grip and pulled away from Pearl leaning back down her gaze fixed on the ground as if she’d just broken her mother priceless china vase. After a moment pearl raised and eyebrow spoke.

 

“I’m still not sure I understand.” Her voice was relaxed as if nothing had actually happened between them just in that brief moment. She was sure but it had looked like just this simple utterance had hurt the short latina.

 

“I..I just had to know what it would be like!” Amethyst played it off. But there was something else, something that told Pearl that was a lie, something that looked like hurt in those beautiful eyes, and for a moment, the moment the short woman had been looking at the ground, she could have sworn she heard her say something. 

 

_ “You really don't remember me do you?” _

  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Ahh and this gets to be my first published piece, oh fun [kill me, my nerves are walking all over me lol]
> 
> Visit me at btead.tumblr.com


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